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Our Cars: 2014 Kia Forte EX – Hot Hands

Compared to 10 years ago, shopping for a mainstream compact sedan no longer means looking for a bore-mobile with swathes of plastic and knee-pinching back seats inside. No -- they are now less boring with higher-quality plastics and second rows more suitable for three adults. And some, like the 2014 Kia Forte EX, come with a heated steering wheel.

A $25,515 Forte EX, like the one equipped with Premium and Technology Packages we recently entertained, is one of the thriftiest ways to get your hands on an electrically warmed steering wheel. Maybe you’re looking to alleviate the effects of Raynaud’s or find gloves too constricting and make the hands too sweaty. Localized heating of the steering wheel is more than a random convenience; it can be a godsend to the right person.Near-instant warmth is activated by a switch below the stability/traction control button, to the left of the steering wheel. The heating feels uniform throughout the rim to my palms. It shuts off on its own after about 30 minutes of continuous use but you can turn it right back on with a stab of the finger.

The absolute least-expensive Forte with a heated steering wheel costs $23,100. The option is specific to the 2.0-liter EX model and you must select the $2600 Premium Package.

With available heated steering wheels, the Forte and Dodge Dart position themselves as the two most cold-hands-friendly C-segment sedans on sale today. One could hypothetically spec out a 2013 Dart Limited with Premium Group equipment for $21,885 to get a hold of the featured feature ($23,235 with a 6-speed automatic to pull the powertrain even with the auto-only Forte EX). Better act fast though: With the extensive trim level restructuring for the Dart’s 2014 model year, the heated steering wheel becomes standard on Limited, which currently starts at $23,990 and with the 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder (now the volume engine).

Yours or my hands may not need heating, but Forte sales could use a hot hand to close out the year. Total model sales (sedan, coupe, and hatchback) are down 14 percent through September year over year, due to a combination of factors including (but not limited to) the outgoing generation’s waning inventory, ongoing dealer supply analysis, and waiting for the redesigned Koup and Forte5 to complement the standard four-door on show floors. Naturally, the other two Fortes will offer heated steering wheels too.Learn more about the Kia Forte EX in this First Test.

A heated steering wheel is a very surprising feature. More surprising is it's ventilated driver's seat with ten way power. I'm not into paying this much for a subcompact but you could pay a lot more for less i.e. Focus Titanium or Chevrolet Cruze, almost making 26K seem like a bargain

Heated steering wheel does me no good in Louisiana, not sure how safe it is to keep that button right under the traction control given the majority of users will either use it in cold mornings or rainy conditions. Have to say though, the steering wheel looks very pedestrian for having such a compact-vehicle-unique feature.